Void Travlers

by, Theory IV

Chapter 1, The beginning of it all

One two three, uhh four? I count, as I hold up my hand in front of me, my smile big as ever, my eyes hungry with fascination, so many stars so little fingers I laugh. A small midnight breeze start's to blow over me, my hair flowing with the wind. I exhale and put my hand down, I wonder what's out there, beyond our solar system.

My gaze starts to fall to my surrounding area, I'm sitting on top of what use to be the twin towers, now just one really beat up and scared leaning tower of pezia.

Sometimes I wonder what was it like back then, to live in a big city like this and work in a tall building like this one, if you can even call it that now.

After the big war, WWlll they called it from my texted books, most big major city's around the world like New York got destroyed almost to complete annihilation, the big war caused great cataclysmic pandemic, most world powers choosing to use nuclear deterrents not thinking about how its going to effect the future or physical integrity of Earth and it's inhabitants , a place we could once call home. Now more like living in a garbage heep. the war happening about year 2100, we are now in the year 3100 so one would think crude human ingenuity should simply socome to the natural passing of time but wrong.

If anything we just make more trash, just like rats collecting garbage. "look out" I hear as a I turn my head to see a cape in my face, "If we are all rats then I'm the rat king" the cape falls to expose a posing rat king, my friend kris . Yeah okay buddy, I say laughing. Did ya find anything good? we kind of got to get going soon, "boy did I" he slides two fingers under his wrist in a C motion, a hologram of his rucksack inventory displays on his palm. " I got alot of different types of metals, circuit boards some fiber optic cable and best of all, Magnets "Magnets" we both say pausing, then laughing hard. everytime "everytime" we pause again then fall over cry laughing,

We both kind of got this thing where we say sometimes or think the samething and it always gets us cracking I must say. Kris and I have known each other for awhile now and we pretty much consider each other brothers though he's the little one but not by that much, he's 17 and I'm 21, so I get to boss him around, though he's quick to boss back. He takes a knee next to me, and starts to shuffle his cards while scoping out the area. How much juice you got left I say. Enough to make it to the forest then I'm out he says. I pat him on the shoulder, you own me some candy my friend. yeah yeah he chuckles back.

Alright Mannie give me a sit rep, what do you see up there, purr purr a storm is coming 2 clicks out, but moving in fast from the south purr purr. Thank you Mannie, just keep on flying up there buddy we are going home now. purr home purr. Man I love my cat. We gotta go, now Kris, we got a storm closing fast, 2 clicks out and it's going to catch us mid forest. Bad day not to bring enough fuel huh, he says putting his cards back in his holster. You ready I say? as I step closer to the edge, while looking his way. He gives me the hat tip so I know he's ready. This never gets old I say as we both leap from the edge, activating our mag boots telepathically.

The warm air quickly rushing by us as we fly over buildings ascending, Our Helmets start to close, adjusting to the higher altitude. We fly in formation, me leading and Kris by myside, Mannie the spear head. To the clouds I radio in to everyone, Purr purr clouds purrr. Just another day scavenging, Kris and I are inventors, gear heads if you will. We go out collect parts we need for our experiments, failures or sell them if needed. That's how things are now, forget school, forget jobs. Alot of things have changed since the olden days. No more big goverments, No more states, No more nothin. Things are alot simpler and thats the way, they should be.

People have learned from the last war that goverments and states, countries just don't work anymore. There will always be war, always be fighting, disagreements. Now there are just large populated mega citys around the continent. Each having a few rules, the basics, don't steal, don't kill, thats really it. other than that you have to get it on your own, A bit like the wild west in a way but picture the wild west with fision bikes, Reptilian shape shifters and plasma rifles. I know crazy right?, Purr Purr closing in on tree line purr, Copy that Mannie, how much juice left Kris, "Like expected, I'm out halfway in", Alright let's decend to just above the trees tops, purr copy, "copy".

I check my heads up display, this isn't good, the storm is closing faster than expected and it looks like its going to be a nasty one, cat 8 thunderstorm, I start to look down at the approaching tree line, which really isn't that far, this forest is called wandering giants for a reason. people are not the only things that have evolved, I'll tell you that. This forest is massive due to many years of growing and no one to cut the trees down. People don't live out this far, this is no mans land, anything can happen to you out here and there is no law in no man's land. Did I say it was like the wild west already?.

People tend to stay in the mega citys for a reason, well normal people at least, people with, loved ones, money and a brain. It isn't safe out here and if you think you can just go for a hike in the forest or anywhere in no man's land, your just walking food for the buzzards. Most of no man's land is scared beyond belief, rips, gashes, massive craters. I haven't been up in space in awhile but that beautiful complexion earth once had is long gone now, it's all thanks to the war, most of the land is unusable so most people don't have a choice but to live in the mega citys. but if you are knowledgeable on the right routes to take and have a good crew like mine, then there is work for you out here, trade runs and bounty hunts. The work no one likes to do, I mean can you blame them? who wants to die? It's not so bad if you can make it back I will say,

One can live off the fat of the land and not worry about the rest, money talks. and the badass look people give you when you return back to the city isn't so bad either. 'purpert purpert' ...'purpert purpert' I hear from my side, I glance at kris and he gives me a nod. Alright I say, we are gliding till we hit bottom, the less we have to walk the better. I really don't want to walk in this god forsaken place with a thunderstorm on my tail. Cut ignition on 3 I say as I get into a endurance aerodynamic postion, Kris and Mannie follow suit as well. 1 ...2...3 Now, click, click , click as our mag boots shut off and glider wings spread out on both sides of our exo suits.

I mark a way point on everyones navigation, we should make it another 2 clicks then we only have to walk a little bit till we are out of the forest then it's smooth sailing from there just through the plains of elders then over the river and then we are pretty much home boys. "The faster the better" kris says, we would have been at the river by now, 'Mr I forgot fuel' I chuckle back as I press the side of my helmet to open it. Let's conserve o 2' guys, good lookin, I hear from my side. I turn my head to glance behind me only to see our vortex trails and a large black bubble of nothing good, cascading over the large tree tops we just passed not to long ago, oh geez I say, thank god we are gliding these 2 clicks man I wouldn't want to be on the ground about now.

Mannie sees what I see and scares him he drifts back to me and gets on my back and buries his little fury head into my neck, It's going to be okay buddy I say, petting him to bring comfort. We are not going to get caught in it, I smile a little smile. One click away from the way point I say, we are almost there just a little mor..r...I pause as I see out of the corner of my eye, down below on the forest floor something moving fast, kicking up dirt, but there's...something moving faster? behind it. I glance over to Kris to see if he is seeing what I'm seeing only to see him eye balling them both, more fixed on the second fast moving object, he looks over at me, "what kind of crazy person is racing through the forest at this time of night?", a dead one I reply back, squinting trying to get a better picture.

I look up to check how close we are to the way point and back down to the fast moving objects then glance back at the storm, there toast I say looking up not caring anymore. I look up to see a cloud covered sky the moon light blocked by the clouds as we pass under. Then we hear it, crack! ...crack! crack! crack! the unmistakable sound of a plasma rifle firing, I look down to find the objects, but for what? there I see it, purple streaks of fast moving plasma aimed at the first object from the second one. A few of the plasma rounds fiding it's target. Probably a trade heist, those are commen in no man's land, where there are goods and services, people will always try to undermine hardworking people.

Let's get a little lower to see who it is, "The volture's are out tonight huh", Kris says, looks that way, I say back as we decend a bit lower to see them more clear. Looks to be some forest pirate's chasing what appears to be...uh wow that thing is really shot up, but you can make out that its a scud-carriage which is pretty much a levitating fusion powered horse carriage. Those are mainly used by the people of the city Shaelinoc, a city far west, based of farming and agriculture. Why are they out this far from their city? Wandering giants is at least a three day trip from the ground and two in the air. "Look, there in the carriage", I look to see what kris is talking about.

Then I see it...then I see it.. I ruddy see it don't I, A image all to formilur to us, the never ending cycle of the strong survive while the feeble and less fortunate fall at there hand. The carriage is torn to pieces, moving on its last leg. the damaged warn cloth top revealing the emotional dismayed family riding inside. A father lays on his back,I go cold for a minute when I see his body, no child should have to see their father this way. He's beat up be yond belief, missing his right leg above the knee cap, a blood soaked rag covering what I don't even want to see...his right arm is in a cast, his left...his left..well he doesn't have a left..arm anymore.

A bandage wraps around his head covering his eyes, he's not moving...in that shape I don't think you even could. His two children sit beside him, hands clasped in his, with no expression, just cold hearted nothingness as they sit and lay bare to the true raw nature of this world we live in. I move my eyes to the front of the carriage to see who's driving, It's the mother, her face bleak as she looks back at her children then the marauders behind her gaining. Her left arm holds her right as she holds the rans with everything she got left. A strong but frail mother she is, My eyes drift, my heart feeling heavy..I look back at the storm knowing full well they don't stand a chance.

The way point is so close...I swallow...we won't make it if we...I whisper my voice low with agony. k...k.eep moving forward I choke out. nothing we haven't seen before...I swallow adding. Kris is mute but agreeing with a slow nod. crack! ...crack! ...crack!crack!.. I try to block the sound out but I feel my eyes gravitate down wards, there has to be at least 15 of them and only three of us. Kris is strong but he's still young and hasn't got full control of his deck yet. I feel so helpless I don't know what to do. "Just keep flying a voice says in my head", "you want to live don't you?", "What's a few lives to spare just yours" ...shut up, shut up , shut up...just ruddy shut up will you, my hand clenched now.

I look over to Kris once more to see him just blank staring at them, his eyes almost saying "It's going to be okay, It's going to be okay". but is it, is it really...I have watched countless people die out here, kris not so much because most of the time I don't take him with me, but seeing it, knowing you could have done something about it makes your stomach turn in the worst way and it just don't sit right...I fly blank. silent. weak... but I'm not blank am I? my heart knows what it wants?, I'm not silent, my face begging with inclination?, furthermore the fire I'm compressing in my soul is far from yelling weak! I remember I took a oath, to up hold the justice for the weak and misfortunate! to stop unjust bigotry! to show perseverance in the wake of my followers! did I not!...

Crack!...Crack!...CRACK!.CRACK!.CRACK! ... I close my eyes...I won't let others fall while I have the strength to bring aid to them, I won't let it happen again...I won't mother..CRACKK! a child's scream can be heard, She fell off...SHE FELL OFF!!! THE MOTHER!! Kris screams then covers his mouth trying to keep the agony in, do we help!? do we help!? he lets out, looking at me for a answer. HEY! he shouts! ...Silence. WOOSHH the sound the air makes conforming and pressing against the sudden extreme angle of my wings, my cape pressing on my back from it. I open my eyes burning with anger, Kris is taken back abit at a look he has not seen but already reaching for his cards knowing what's next.

I raise my right leg, angling my whole body downwards straight for the mother, I wip my cape out of the way with something fierce. revealing my katana my hand pressed against the helt.

cling cling 'two jingles', the sound, two bells on my guard make. when the air im displacing blows past them.

GO for the carriage and ride it till your out the forest and keep going don't stop, not even for me. you keep on going you hear, Kris's mouths says okay but his faces looks unsure. I'll get the mother now go NOW! BANGG! the sound erupting from my mag boots leaving nothing but a vaper trail. I'm full gas to the spot where she dropped, sword unshethed in hand. There she is, I throw my sword a few feet in front of her then gravitate to it with menacing speed via my mag glove, displacing the earth in front of me shooting it up at the bandits with great force, knocking them off their fision bikes. "Wow he's quick ain't he Mannie" purr quick! Follow close cat, it's my time to shine now. Mannie jumps on my shoulder ready for battle.

I draw three cards and throw one directly for the driverless moving carriage, then the other two at the fast approching bandits reaching for the carriage.I mag blink to my first card just before it impacts the carriage floor but over shoot the placement of my card and hit the floor hard face down butt up. please don't tell me they saw... I stay up to see the two children in awe of my terrible entrance. Uhm..let's just skip formalities, I'm here to save the day okay don't worry I smile akwardly. 'Clunk' 'Cluck' Boom Boom the sound my two cards hiting there targets on point. well I did one thing right I say as quickly wip the rains to pick up some speed and steer us in the right direction. Mannie go protect the children in the back, purr on it.

"Mannie hops to the back", purr safe he says to the kids while they huddle around their father hugging one another. We aren't done yet I mutter still got some bandits on our tail. I look back to see how many there are to see mannie firing at the bandits with his mini plasma gun but just off in the distance I can see him...hes gone in to save us all I say under my breath looking at my hand. I pull my hat on a little tighter, he's got this i've got faith in him. 'pop' 'pop' 'pop pop pop' Boom, give'm hell mannie!! I wip the rains harder yeee haaaaww nothing can stop this crew babbyyy. 'I can feel it coming in the air tonightttt oh lorddd' I sing. DO DO DOO DOO DOOD OO DOO DO ... BBB A N G!!?? what the hell?? I look to my left to see a tree incesarated by a thunder strike. OH NO THE THUNDERSTORM!!!!!!!

I yell holding my hat on, standing up to look behind me, rain pouring down on us hard now, hard ass heck I tell yeeah! Where is he? where is he I mutter to myself, This ain't looking to good. 'pop pop' pop' 'pop', Do you see'm Mannie?? purr purr...purr 'pop' 'pop pop' no sign of him 'pop pop' boom. Oh man, Oh man, Oh man. Don't turn around kris, Don't turn around kris. he said to keep going not stopping for nothin...not even him. purr purr keep going purr pop' 'pop', yeah yeah I ruddy know I say feeling unsteadiness start to fill me, I sit back down and grip the rains harder and wip. Pressing my hat down, please make it..."poke"..."poke" what's that poking at my back, what the heck.

I turn to see one of the children, the boy the poor thing is all beat up, dirty but nothing serious, I bet thanks to his papa, brave man he is, damn brave. He has this look in his eye, this little glinter of excitement? but for what? "Mr Mr Mr" he yelps at me, yeah I say? he pauses looking at the back of my cape insignia fluttering in the air, then looks back up to me, rain hitting him, with this big smile starting to creep on his face. eyes bright as ever. "A..Are you the...Survey Corps...? was, I say back.."what do you mean?" he whimpers back, there is no more Survey Corps. Most of them died, just a few left now, enough to count on my fingers sadly.

But you..uh got three helping you, I smile back at him. He smiles his kid smile then looks around at Mannie then back to me, I only count two though? Smart kid, he's getting your mother right now. oh..he says, his excitement dieing down a little and so does his smile. I look up to see the rain still pouring hard as ever then I look back to the kid all wet, uh here you can barrow my hat to keep the rain off you and your sister. I place the hat on his head then face forward, navigating through the storm, I can still feel him standing there even though I'm not looking. Don't worry its him, the one you seek, the one you've read about in books or heared on broadcast. He will bring your mother back, He is real and not a fairy tale my boy.

I feel his little arms hug my back then I hear his little foot steps peddle back to his sister, I hear a gasp, then a little schreak of joy. Darn kids I say shaking my head, I smile, wiping the water from my wet lapsed face.

I leave my sword in the ground and walk over to the mother unconchies but unharmed body, sorry I couldn't come sooner I whisper. then mark her with a mag dust seal, I throw a pre charged kunai with a mag seal in the direction of the carriage is heading watching it disappear in a blink of an eye, that should about be enough. I hear chatting and footsteps coming from the ploom of dust and debree I ejected into the air. "there You ArE AHHH" a bandit runs out of one of the bushes making a bee line for us, I roundhouse kick him in the air, then holding out my hand I charge my katana back to me impaling him before he hits the ground. "YoU, *coughs up blood* yOU doNT kwON WhO FoREsT YOU BE iN"...Tch' I turn anyway from him, my cape wiping around after me, fluttering in the summer night air. He notices the back of my cape as I walk toward his crew, sword still in him.

"THisS CanNoT bE,.." he scoots back on the ground with one hand, the other holding his chest where my blade has impaled him. "THisS CanNoT...*coughs up blood*...bE,..",.. "YOu dOn't eXiSt AnYmOrE" he yells but I'm not listening, I just hold my charged hand back toward him, calling my sword, which rips from his lifeless body. spinning in the air, catching my hand. We don't exist anymore... I say under my breath as I walk toward the group of bandits charging straight for me on their remaining fision bikes and some on foot. Crack! Crack! ...Crack! "Get that sonn of a BiTC..." He doesn't finish because my flying blade enters his open mouth, finding its exit protruding from the back of his head. I walk slowly toward them, everything in slow motion for a minute, the cold rain now falling on me, 'Bang! the sound of thunder as I walk.

The rain dripping from the black hair in front of my face, never again I say..pulling my hoodie over my head, my eyes cold. *Static, the sound i make while mag blinking to my sword that's in his head, cleaving it from his skull, splitting into two halfs. Excrement staining my clothes with bloody splats."BoSs!! "the badits yell pointing their plasma rifles at me, the rain coming *thunder* *thunder* down harder lowering the visibility. Crack! Crack! Crack! "DOn't let hiM gEt awAy!! the basterd!!, WILL MAKE HIM PAY!! ". I throw my sword in the cold wet air to mag blink *static* to it a short distance, leaving behind a cloud of dispersing black mag dust and disoriented bandits. Crack! Crack! ...Crack! Crack!.. "wHEre The HeLL dID hE gO???" they say, flaying arms, swatting my black death from around them.

I look around me, not many left but I have to hurry up *Thunder* It doesn't matter how strong you are you aren't going to beat the divine power of mother nature. The wind picks up with a ferocious howl, the kind of howl that signifies a understanding within all animals that it's time to flee and stop what ever they're doing and seek safety. I've been in the storm for far to long the reckoning is about to come, I need to end this quick. I angle my sword with the blade pointing behind me and to myside and raise my right leg and start to spin downward like a falling lotus. *HHuuggH* I grunt out as I charge more energy this time into my blade. I've got about 20 secs to finish this.

*Jingle Jingle* ...silent... *STATIC*

*ZOOM* as I flash downward with meacning speed and intent, spinning like a saw, my cape flailing in a circle with me. Fire burning in my eye, I ripping into the fray. Crack! Crack! Crack! I find my first victim splitting his head open starting from his ear, proceeding downward to the rest of his body. Shooting blood and body parts everywhere from me spinning, I move to the next bandit to his side riding a fision bike and cut it in half, *BOOM* it explodes killing him instantly. I pull my cape in front of me, stopping my spin and charge it to mitigate the shockwave and the incoming heat, but it catches me off guard and some flames slip through and burns my forehead. *Awwhhh* I grunt, putting a hand to my head, as I kneel, feeling blood. Crack! Crack! "yOu'll NevEr tAke m..." three yell coming for me. *THUNDER* *THUNDER* *THUNDER*

The ground shakes from the thunder striking the ground and cracking from the electricity splitting through it and under me as reckoning draws closer, ground is displaced and large rocks are flung our way, I position myself aiming for one of the large boulders and throw my charged sword into it. *STATIC* as I grip onto my sword with both hands, holding me on to the flying boulder heading straight for the rest of the bandits. Crack! CRACK! CRACK! they shoot at me, but the boulder is so massive it has no effect. *THUNDER* *THUNDER* THUNDER* I hear behind me,I turn my head to see the ground where I just blinked from now just a trahformed mess. I wipe some blood from my forehead, yeah it's time to go. I look down to see the badits are trying to flee on fision bikes. CRack! Crack! Crack! they shoot as they see my head.

Not a chance you guys are getting away I say gripping my sword tight, charging it with the remaining energy I have left. The wind and rain thrashing at me trying to knock me off this bull ride but I ain't going nowhere. I charge and I charge and...I black out for a bit as I wip my head again blood covering my whole forehead begging to drip into my eyes. *Awwhh* I mutter as I wipe my eyes on my elbow while maintaining both hands on my sword charging. This is it I say, I look over to see the boulder is just over all the bikers, Crack! crack! they shoot. *Heavy Breathing* I've got you rats now, don't blink, I say. *BOOOOM* I split the massive boulder into a meteor shower of smaller boulders heading straight for running rats.

It's over I say activating my glide wings to use the momentum the boulder has given to me. I put a hand to my head feeling myself getting weaker. the cold rain washing some of the blood away, but I can feel more slowly flowing from my hand. I wip my blade to remove stained blood on its finish then sheath it on my side,with a glance I watch the boulders topple the woodbe bandits, crushing them to bits. I hold out my charged hand in the direction I put the mother. *THUNDER * THUNDER* *THUNDER* ...*STATIC* I kneel down to her brushing her wet hair from her face it's okay now, her breathing is slow so I take my helmet off and put it on her, closing it, to give her fresh o 2'. I put her on my back, her head lay on my shoulder as the rain falls on us. I look back behind me to see the thunder ripping apart the land I was gliding from, I wip some more blood from my forehead. I can hear her breathing normally now.

Let's get you to your children I whisper, she grips her arms around me tight at the minchin of her children, so I know she's awake and okay. I charge everything I got left into my hand pointing in the direction of the carriage, *Huwhhh* come on just a little more, I charge.* THUNDER* *THUNDER* *THUNDER* I can see the ground beneath me begin to light up a bright blue white. JUST A LITTLE MORE, *HUWHHHH* she holds me tighter... *THUNDER*...

*STATIC*

Mid flight I can hear her say, " you're one of them aren't you", she looks at the insignia on the back of my cape. A pranting horse on its hine legs, a knight with his hand to his chest in salut, his sword rasied. A crested shield behind them. " you're one of the old Survey Corps, I knew they wern't all gone." Thank you she crys. "Thankyou so much for saving me and my family." I fly blank and cold thinking of the past, the ground moving very fast beneath us. I look ahead to see we are clearing the storm, I sigh with releaf. I look back to her to see her crying, thank me when you have your kids in your arms I smile. *WOOSHHH* the sound the air makes rushing past us, so fast the world almost looks warped.

purr purr no more bandits purr purr. Thanks cat do you see him, purr purr no. I hold the rains in my hand looking up at the now clear, bright moon lit sky as we clear the forest and the storm. At least I did my part they are safe everyone is safe. everyone but..."Mr Mr Mr", what kid I say spooked, "are you sure its him, are you sure he's real, are you sure he's coming with my maa." yes I say unsure. you've heard the story haven't you boy. "yes! yes I have" he jumps at me. "He's the 'Black Flash", he's so fast it looks like he's teleporting. good then you'll know he's coming as fast as he canNNNNNN, I say looking behind me a bit sheepish.

The kid tugs my cape "hey ! hey!" What now boy? I say looking ahead. "I heard, I heard that if the 'Black Flash' throws his kunai, if your near it you can hear it comin with a whistling sound. That part i don't know about boy, people like to change storys around or spread things that aren't true. His sister stands up from the back and comes to the front behind her brother. "Uhm Mr...Mr.. I hear the whistle!" okay okay now guys making up stuff isn...I pause...I pause with my mouth open because I hear it don't I? hear the bloody whistle. I shoot up in excitement lookin behind me, yee doggy. I glance down at mannie to see him calmly sitting in the back of the carriage near the opening, the children huddled beside him.

Purr Purr he's coming, huh ? where I don't see him, I'm looking and looking. Then finally I see it in the sky in the middle of the bright lit moon a small kunai spiraling making a fait whistle sound you can only hear if you really try to look for it...*WOOSH*...*STATIC* you just see a blurry black fog moving really fast that you can only see for a second WAM, he grips the kunai with his hand extended, the mother on his back with his helmet on. His cape blows in the wind making him look majestic. I see him look down toward me, throwing his kunai. *Cling* it hits behide me, I turn to see him standing there, his cape blowing in the wind, the mother in his arms now. he places her down and removes her helmet she runs straight for her kids and they do the same, all hugging one another. I look back to him now kneeling with one leg only, held up by his fist.

Oh no, I was so excited to see him I didn't even notice his state, are you alright rush to pick him up, seeing the large cut he has on his forehead oh man oh man, you did to much for this one, you darn near killed yourself..I walk him to the back with the family and set him down next to the father. The mother rests his head on her lap and wraps a bandage on his head to stop the bleeding a bit. "He's bleeding pretty bad" she says " he needs some attention hes blacking out from blood loss but he's not going to die." Good I say sitting down, I own him some candy when we get back. I wip the rains and we start moving again. We are about to be out of the Plains of Elders where y'all heading too? The city in the sky, is where we were heading to, Oh so Nazareth? "yes I believe so"well you're lucky lady, him and I live there.

"Him and I? how rude of me to have not asked both of you your names..sorry" It's okay I say back, My names Kris, but you can call me 'Twisted Fate', the boy comes out from hearing my name more like "fall on face fate" He snickers, why youuu, I glare back, turning around to not show tears because he remembered that. "Okay Kris, now how about the soilder who saved me and my family" Him I say, his name is ...I tip my hat looking up at the full moon as we ride on into the night, his name is Ekko...'The Black Flash'

Chapter 2. Ekko 'The Black Flash'